Pneumatic package loader

ABSTRACT

Packaging apparatus for garments such as panty hose includes a cylindrical conduit having an entry end and an exit end, and a Venturi air chest on the conduit for establishing a stream of air in the conduit to draw the garment into the conduit at the entry end and eject it into a bag or other container at the exit end. A funnel-shaped nozzle on the exit end of the conduit has an outer sleeve portion spaced radially outwardly from the conduit and cooperating with a clamping device for holding the open end of the bag in surrounding relationship with the conduit and spaced therefrom, perforations in the cone-shaped part of the nozzle permitting free flow of the air stream from the bag.

United States Patent [191 Lewis July 23, 1974 [73] Assignee: Bear Brand Hosiery Co., Chicago,

Ill. 3

[22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 327,002

[52] US. Cl 53/255, 53/282 [51] Int. Cl B65b 1/04, B65b 1/00 [58] Field of Search 53/3, 255, 282, 187, 239, 53/256, 385

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,081 12/1939 McCallum 53/385 3,592,004 7/1971 Lense 53/385 3,707,825 l/l973 Bell et al 53/282 Primary Examirter l-larrison L. Hinson Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrangley, Dithmar, Vogel, Sandler & Stotland [57] ABSTRACT Packaging apparatus for garments such as panty hose includes a cylindrical conduit having an entry end and an exit end, and a Venturi air chest on the conduit for establishing a stream of air in the conduit to draw the garment into the conduit at the entry end and eject it into a bag or other container at the exit end. A funnelshaped nozzle on the exit end of the conduit has an outer sleeve portion spaced radially outwardly from the conduit and cooperating with a clamping device for holding the open end of the bag in surrounding relationship with the conduit and spaced therefrom, perforations in the cone-shaped part of the nozzle permitting free flow of the air stream from the bag.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 PNEUMATIC PACKAGE LOADER The present invention relates to pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading light-weight garments such as panty hose and the like into packaging containers. More particularly, this invention relates to a pneumatic conveyor system for delivering a garment from an inspection form to a container by means of an air stream flowing through the conduit.

In prior systems of this type, it has been found that it was necessary to maintain the bottom end of the container open during loading of the garment thereinto in order to permit full uninterrupted air flow and to facilitate easy entry of the garment into the container. It is a general object of the present invention to, provide an air-operated container loading apparatus by which a garment may be loaded into a container open only at the top end thereof, while at the same time maintaining free flow of the airstream.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, the apparatus comprising a conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to the conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from the entry end to the exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at the entry end, the area of reduced pressure and the stream of air serving to draw the material into the conduit at the entry end and to eject the material from the conduit at the exit end, and holding means for releasably holding the associated container with the open end thereof in overlapping surrounding relationship with the exit end of the conduit and spaced therefrom, whereby the material is ejected from the exit end of the conduit into the container while the space between the container and the conduit accommodates the free flow of the airstream from the container.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of this invention to provide pneumatic packaging apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the holding means comprises a stationary clamping member having a clamping surface spaced laterally from the conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, and a movable clamping member mounted for movement between a clamping position and a releasing position, the movable clamping member in the clamping position thereof cooperating with the clamping surface to clamp therebetween the open end of the container to hold it in overlapping surrounding relationship with the exit end of the conduit and spaced therefrom, the movable clamping member in the releasing condition thereof being spaced from the clamping surface to accommodate removal of the container from therebetween after loading of the material into the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide pneumatic packaging apparatus of the type set forth, which includes a nozzle mounted on the conduit in concentric surrounding relationship therewith and including an inner annular sleeve portion and an outer annular sleeve portion and intermediate annular portion interconnecting said inner and outer portions, the inner annular sleeve portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of the conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, the outer annular sleeve portion being disposed in use radially outwardly of the conduit upstream of the inner In connection with the foregoing object, still another object of this invention is to provide pneumatic packaging apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the holding means comprises a clamping member mounted adjacent to the exit end of the conduit and movable between a clamping position cooperating with the outer surface of the outer annular sleeve portion to clamp therebetween the open end of the container and a releasing position spaced from the outer annular sleeve portion to accommodate removal of the filled container from therebetween, and bias means resiliently urging the clamping member toward the clamping position thereof.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the parts of the packaging apparatus whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the packaging apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of the present invention, showing the orientation of the apparatus with respect to associated equipment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial vertical section of the Venturi air chest for establishing the air stream in the conduit of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front perspective view rotated of the exit end of the conduit of FIG. 1, showing a container clamped in a loading position between the clamping mechanism and the nozzle;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary front elevational view in partial vertical section and rotated 90 showing the container held in its loading position; and

FIG. 5 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4.

There is illustrated in the drawings a packaging apparatus, generally designated by the numeral 10, constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of the present invention and adapted for conveying material to be packaged, such as panty hose or other garments or the like, from an inspection form 15 or other apparatus into a container 80. For simplicity of illustration, the packaging apparatus 10 has been illustrated in FIG. 1 as being mounted on walls 11 and 12 adjacent to the comer of a room, but it will be appreciated that in actual use any suitable arrangement of the packaging apparatus may be utilized.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus 10 is adapted for loading panty hose from an inspection fonn 15 into a bag, the inspection form 15 having a waist portion 16 and a pair of leg portions 17 and 18 for receiving the panty hose thereover to facilitate inspection thereof in a well-known manner. The apparatus 10 is adapted for assisting in removing the 3 panty hose from the inspection form 15 after completion of the inspection and for transporting the panty hose to and into the container 80.

The packaging apparatus 10 includes an elongated cylindrical conduit, generally designated by the numeral 20, substantially circular in transverse cross section and having an entry end and an exit end. The conduit 20 comprises a plurality of interconnected conduit sections, including a first generally vertically extending section 21 having a funnel 22 secured thereto at the lower or entry end thereof adjacent to the top of the inspection form 15, the conduit section 21 being provided with a right angle bend or elbow portion 23 at the upper end thereof. Coupled to the upper end of the conduit section 21 by a fluid tight coupling is a right angle elbow section 24, the free end of which extends substantially vertically downwardly and is coupled through a Venturi air chest, generally designated by the numeral 30, to the upperend of an elongated substantially vertically-extending straight conduit section 25, the lower end of which is the exit end of the conduit 20. The conduit 20 is mounted in place on the walls 11 and 12 by means of a main mounting bracket 27 secured to the conduit section 21 and 25, and by an upper mounting bracket 28 secured to either the elbow section 24 or to the bend portion 23 of the conduit section 21, and finally by a lower mounting bracket 29 secured to the conduit section 25 adjacent to the exit end thereof, each of the brackets 27, 28 and 29 being fixedly secured to the walls 11 and 12 by bolts or other suitable fasteners.

The Venturi air chest 30 forms a coupling between the conduit sections 24 and 25, the conduit section 24 having a downwardly and outwardly flared generally cone-shaped flange 31 atthe lower end thereof and the conduit section 25 having an outwardly and upwardly flared generally cone-shaped flange 32 at the upper end thereof. Interconnecting the flanges 31 and 32 and fixedly secured as by welding to each in surrounding relationship therewith is a cylindrical sleeve 33 having a port or opening 34 therein. The flanges 31 and 32 and the sleeve 33 cooperate to define a chamber 39 therein in which is disposed a cylindrical conduit section 35 substantially identical in transverse cross section to the conduit section 25 and' the downwardly extending portion of the elbow section 24 and coaxial with each, the upper and lower ends of the conduit section 35 being respectively engaged along the entire circumferences thereof with the flanges 31 and 32 for forming a fluidtight seal between the interior and exterior of the conduit section 35. A plurality of port tubes 36 are equiangularly spaced about the conduit section 35 and are .fixedly mounted thereon, the port tubes 36 being respectively received in complementary openings through the wall of the conduit section 35 with each port tube 36 having an upper end communicating with the space between the conduit section 35 and the sleeve 33 and a lower end projecting downwardly below the bottom end of the conduit section 35 and into the conduit section 25 and communicating with the interior thereof.

A pneumatic elbow fitting 37 is mounted on the sleeve 33 and has a nozzle end 38 received in the opening 34 in the sleeve 33 for providing communication between the interior of the fitting 37 and the space between the conduit section 35 and the sleeve 33. The fitting 37 is coupled by means of a coupler 43 to one end of a pneumatic conduit 42, the other end of which is coupled by means of a coupler 41 to an air control valve 40, the valve 40 having an actuating handle 45 for ready access by an operator of the packaging equipment. Preferably, the control valve 40 is coupled to an associated source of compressed air (not shown), the valve 40 being operable between a closed position for shutting off the air supply and an open position for admitting compressed air from the source into the conduit 42.

Mounted on the conduit section 25 at the exit end thereof is a generally funnel-shaped nozzle, generally designated by the numeral 50, and including a cylindrical inner sleeve portion 51 having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the conduit section 25 and fitted over the exit end thereof in coaxial surrounding relationship therewith and being fixedly secured thereto by suitable fastening means. Integral with the upper end of the inner sleeve portion 51 and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom is a generallypart-conical flared portion 52 provided with a plurality passages or openings 55 extending therethrough around the entire circumference thereof. Integral with the upper end of the flared portion 52 and extending upwardly therefrom coaxially with the conduit section 25 and with the inner sleeve portion 51 is an outer cylindrical sleeve portion 54 disposed in use a predetermined distance radially outwardly ofthe outer surface of the conduit section 25, the outer sleeve portion 53 being provided with an outer cylindrical clamping surface 54.

Mounted on the conduit section 25 adjacent to the nozzle 50 is a clamping mechanism, generally designated by the numeral 60. The clamping mechanism 60 includes a main brace or support member 61 extending vertically along the outer surface of the conduit section 25, the lower end of the brace member 61 being fixedly secured as by weldments 64 to attachment flanges 62a of a pair of mounting brackets 62, whichare in turn respectively secured to the conduit section 25 by fasteners 63 such as screws or the like. To provide additional stability, the brace member 61 may also be secured by suitable means to the mounting bracket 29 of the conduit section 25.

Connected to the main brace member 61 at the upper end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom substantially normal thereto away from the conduit section 25 is a mounting arm 66 having attached thereto and projecting therefrom a screw 68 which is received through an arcuate slot 67 in an elongated actuator arm 65 which is disposed substantially parallel to the main brace member 61. The head of the screw 68 has a diameter greater than the width of the slot 67 to maintain the actuator arm 65 in place with respect to the mounting arm 66. Integral with the actuator arm 65 at the upper end thereof and extending therefrom generally normal thereto is a handle 69 for manual operation of the clamping mechanism 60. Integral with the actuator arm 65 at the lower end thereof and extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom is an attachment foot 70 fixedly secured at the lower end thereof as by welding to an arcuate clamping collar 75. More particularly, the clamping collar 75. is generally partcylindrical and is shaped complementary to the clamping surface 74 on the nozzle 50, the clamping collar 75 having a depression 77 therein intermediate the ends thereof in which is received the lower end of the attachment foot 70 so that the inner surface of the attachment foot 70 is flush with the inner surface of the clamping collar 75.

Extending downwardly and outwardly from the main brace member 61 to the actuator arm 65 is a crossbar 71 having the opposite ends thereof respectively pivotally connected to the actuator arm 65 and the main brace member 61 by means of pivot pins or screws 72 and 73. A helical tension spring 74 has the opposite ends thereof respectively anchored on the lower ends of the actuator arm 65 and the main brace member 61 by means of anchor screws 76, the spring 74 serving resiliently to urge the actuator arm 65 and the clamping collar 75 into a clamping position illustrated in the drawings, wherein the inner surface of the clamping collar 75 is urged toward engagement with the complementary clamping surface 54 on the nozzle 50 for cooperation therewith to clamp therebetween the upper end of a container 80 as will be explained more fully below.

It will be appreciated that by use of the handle 69, the actuator arm 65 and the clamping collar 75 may be manually moved, against the urging of the tension spring 74, from the clamping position to a releasing position (not shown) wherein the clamping collar 75 is spaced a predetermined distance from the clamping surface 54 on the nozzle 50. More particularly, in moving the clamping mechanism 60 from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, the actuator arm is lifted upwardly by the handle 69, with the screw 68 sliding along the slot 67, whereby the actuator arm .65 and the clamping collar 75 undergo a generally arcuate motion upwardly and outwardlyaway from the clamping surface 54, the main brace 61 and the actuator arm 65 and the crossbar 71 cooperating to form a parallelogram-type linkage.

The operation of the packaging apparatus will now be described in detail. Mounted on the wall 12 is a container rack 85 supporting thereon a supply of empty containers 80. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the containers 80 are bags which may be of paper, plastic or other suitable material and are stored ina flat folded condition on the rack 85. Normally, the apparatus will be operated by a single operator whose job it is to inspect and bag the finished panty hose garment. Initially, the operator will remove a bag from the rack 85 and unfold it to its open position and mount the bag 80 on the nozzle 50. In order to perform this operation, the operator moves the clamping mechanism 60 to its releasing position by lifting on the handle 69 and then inserts the open upper end 82 of the bag 80 over and around the nozzle 50 in surrounding relationship therewith so that the upper end 82 of the bag 80 overlaps the clamping surface 54 on the nozzle 50 around the entire circumference thereof. Then, the clamping mechanism 60 is returned to its clamping position, in which the clamping collar 75 will cooperate with the clamping surface 54 on the nozzle 50 securely to clamp the upper end 82 of the bag therebetween. Preferably, the bag 80 will be mounted so that the upper end 82 thereof extends well above the top edge of the nozzle 50 to insure a firm and secure mounting of the bag so that no part of the lip thereof will be pulled off the nozzle during operation.

After the bag 80 has been mounted in place over the nozzle 50, the panty hose garment is stretched over the inspection form 15 and inspected in the usual manner,

after which the operator starts to pull the feet of the panty hose off the inspection form leg portions 17 and 18 and operates the control valve lever handle 45 to open the valve 40 for a short time. Upon opening of the valve 40, a blast of compressed air is admitted to the Venturi air chest 30 through the conduit 42, the compressed air stream then passing via the port tubes 36 downwardly into the conduit section 25 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 2. The porting of the compressed air in the Venturi air chest 30 causes a stream of air to flow in the conduit 20 in the direction indicated by the arrows in the drawing. This air flow reduces the air pressure at the funnel 22, causing v a partial vacuum which draws the toes of the panty hose up into the conduit 20 to aid in the removal of the panty hose garment from the inspection form 15. After the garment has been released from the inspection form 15, it is carried along by the airstream the length of the conduit 20 in the direction of the arrows and is ejected from the conduit 20 at the exit end thereof and blown into the bag 80.

It is a significant feature of the present invention that even though the bag has the bottom end thereof closed and has the top end thereof tightly clamped about the outer sleeve portion 53 of the nozzle 50, nevertheless the apparatus 10 accommodates the free and unobstructed flow of the airstream through and from the conduit 20 and into and from the container 80 and provides for easy entry of the garment into the bag. More particularly, the openings 55 in the flared portion 52 of the nozzle 50 provide a path for the airstream to leave the bag 80 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3 to provide the necessary uninterrupted flow of the airstream.

After the garment has entered the bag 80, the clamping mechanism 60 is again moved to its releasing posi tion by the operator in the manner described above, and the filled bag 80 is removed from the nozzle 50 for sealing or other further processing. The operator then mounts another bag 80 in position on the nozzle 50 in the manner described above, and is ready for the inspection and bagging of another garment.

While, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the container 80 illustrated as being a bag, it will be appreciated that other types of containers could be used. In like manner nozzles having shapes and sizes different from the nozzle 50 could also be used. In a construction model of the packaging apparatus 10 of the present invention, the conduit 20 is preferably formed of a plastic tubing, but it will be understood that other suitable materials may be used for the conduit 20 as well as for the funnel 22 and the nozzle 50.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved pneumatic packaging apparatus which affords quick and easy loading of material such as light-weight garments into a container such as a bag, which has the bottom end thereof closed.

More particularly, there has been provided a pneumatic packaging apparatus which provides for the loading of a closed-end container while accommodating the free uninterrupted flow of the airstream to insure quick and unobstructed loading of the material into the container.

In addition, there has been provided an improved nozzle to afford the above advantages and a unique clamping mechanism to hold the container in loading position on the packaging apparatus.

While there has been described what is at present considered to'be the preferred embodiment ofrthe invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, and holding means for releasably holding the associated container with the open end thereof spaced from said conduit and encompassing said conduit upstream of said exit end thereof, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the air stream from the container.

2. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a stream of air in said conduit includes a port providing communication between the interior of said conduit intermedi ate the ends thereof and an associated source of compressed air for introducing a jet of compressed air into said conduit.

3. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a stream of air in said conduitcomprises a Venturi air chest adapted to be coupled to an associated source of compressed air, and an actuating valve connected between said air chest and the associated source of compressed air for selectively admitting compressed air into said air chest.

4. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further including a funnel coupled to said conduit at the entry end thereof for facilitating the introduction of material to be packaged into said conduit.

5. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the associated container comprises a bag.

6. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said conduit is substantially circular in transverse cross section.

7. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a stationary clamping member having a clamping surface spaced laterally from said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, and a movable clamping member mounted for movement between a clamping position and a releasing position, said movable clamping member in the clamping position thereof cooperating with said clamping surface for clamping therebetween the open end of the associated container to hold it spaced from said conduit and encompassing said conduit upstream of said exit end thereof, said movable clamping member in the releasing position thereof being spaced from said clamping surface to accommodate removal of the container from therebetween after loading of the material into the container, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the air stream from the container and with movement of said movable clamping member to the releasing position thereof accommodating removal of the filled container.

8. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein said conduit is substantially circular in transverse cross section, the associated'container comprising a bag.

9. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein said clamping members are mounted on said conduit. v

' 10. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, and further including bias means resiliently urging said movable clamping member toward the clamping position thereof.

l1. Pneumatic apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit accommodating passage of thematerial therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said'stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a nozzle mounted on said conduit in concentric surrounding relationship therewith and including an inner annular sleeve portion and an outer annular sleeve portion and an intermediate annular portion interconnecting said inner and outer portions, said inner sleeve portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, said outer sleeve portion being disposed in use radially outwardly of said conduit upstream of said inner sleeve portion, said intermediate portion having a plurality of openings therein for accommodating the free flow of air therethrough, and clamping means cooperating with said outer sleeve portion for releasably clamping therebetween the open end of the container to hold it in overlapping surrounding relationship with said exit end of said conduit and spaced therefrom, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the perforations in said intermediate portion of said nozzle accommodate free flow of the air stream from the container.

12. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 11, wherein said nozzle is generally funnelshaped with said inner and outer sleeve portions being substantially cylindrical and with said intermediate annular portion being part-conical in shape.

13. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a nozzle mounted on said conduit in concentric surrounding relationship therewith and including an inner annular sleeve portion and an outer annular sleeve portion and an intermediate annular portion interconnecting said inner and outer portions, said inner sleeve portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, said outer sleeve portion being disposed in use radially outwardly of said conduit upstream of said inner sleeve portion, said intermediate portion having a plurality of openings therein for accommodating the free passage of air therethrough, a clamping member spaced outwardly of said outer sleeve portion and being movable between a clamping position and a releasing position, and bias means coupled to said clamping member for resiliently urging said clamping member toward the clamping position thereof, said clamping member in the clamping position thereof cooperating with said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle for clamping therebetween the open end of the associated container to hold it in overlapping surrounding relationship with said exit end of said conduit, said clamping member in the releasing condition thereof being spaced from said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle to accommodate removal of the container from therebetween after loading of the material into the container, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the airstream from the container and with movement of said clamping member to the releasing position thereof accommodating removal of the filled container.

14. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said bias means comprises a tension spring.

15. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle is substantially cylindrical in shape, said clamping member including a part-cylindrical clamping surface shaped complementary to said outer sleeve portion.

16. The packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, and further including a parallelogram type linkage coupled to said clamping member and being manually operable for effecting movement of said clamping member from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof. 

1. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, and holding means for releasably holding the associated container with the open end thereof spaced from said conduit and encompassing said conduit upstream of said exit end thereof, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the air stream from the container.
 2. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a stream of air in said conduit includes a port providing communication between the interior of said conduit intermediate the ends thereof and an associated source of compressed air for introducing a jet of compressed air into said conduit.
 3. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a stream of air in said conduit comprises a Venturi air chest adapted to be coupled to an associated source of compressed air, and an actuating valve connected between said air chest and the associated source of compressed air for selectively admitting compressed air into said air chest.
 4. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further including a funnel coupled to said conduit at the entry end thereof for facilitating the introduction of material to be packaged into sAid conduit.
 5. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the associated container comprises a bag.
 6. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said conduit is substantially circular in transverse cross section.
 7. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a stationary clamping member having a clamping surface spaced laterally from said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, and a movable clamping member mounted for movement between a clamping position and a releasing position, said movable clamping member in the clamping position thereof cooperating with said clamping surface for clamping therebetween the open end of the associated container to hold it spaced from said conduit and encompassing said conduit upstream of said exit end thereof, said movable clamping member in the releasing position thereof being spaced from said clamping surface to accommodate removal of the container from therebetween after loading of the material into the container, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the air stream from the container and with movement of said movable clamping member to the releasing position thereof accommodating removal of the filled container.
 8. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein said conduit is substantially circular in transverse cross section, the associated container comprising a bag.
 9. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein said clamping members are mounted on said conduit.
 10. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 7, and further including bias means resiliently urging said movable clamping member toward the clamping position thereof.
 11. Pneumatic apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a nozzle mounted on said conduit in concentric surrounding relationship therewith and including an inner annular sleeve portion and an outer annular sleeve portion and an intermediate annular portion interconnecting said inner and outer portions, said inner sleeve portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, said outer sleeve portion being disposed in use radially outwardly of said conduit upstream of said inner sleeve portion, said intermediate portion having a plurality of openings therein for accommodating the free flow of air therethrough, and clamping means cooperating with said outer sleeve portion for releasably clamping therebetween the open end of the container to hold it in overlapping surrounding relationship with said exit end of said conduit and spaced therefrom, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the perforations in said intermediate portion of said nozzle accommodate free flow of the air sTream from the container.
 12. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 11, wherein said nozzle is generally funnel-shaped with said inner and outer sleeve portions being substantially cylindrical and with said intermediate annular portion being part-conical in shape.
 13. Pneumatic packaging apparatus for loading material to be packaged into an associated container open only at one end, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit accommodating passage of the material therethrough and having an entry end and an exit end, means coupled to said conduit for establishing therein a stream of air flowing from said entry end to said exit end thereby to create an area of reduced pressure at said entry end, said area of reduced pressure and said stream of air serving to draw the material into said conduit at said entry end and to eject the material from said conduit at said exit end, a nozzle mounted on said conduit in concentric surrounding relationship therewith and including an inner annular sleeve portion and an outer annular sleeve portion and an intermediate annular portion interconnecting said inner and outer portions, said inner sleeve portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of said conduit adjacent to the exit end thereof, said outer sleeve portion being disposed in use radially outwardly of said conduit upstream of said inner sleeve portion, said intermediate portion having a plurality of openings therein for accommodating the free passage of air therethrough, a clamping member spaced outwardly of said outer sleeve portion and being movable between a clamping position and a releasing position, and bias means coupled to said clamping member for resiliently urging said clamping member toward the clamping position thereof, said clamping member in the clamping position thereof cooperating with said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle for clamping therebetween the open end of the associated container to hold it in overlapping surrounding relationship with said exit end of said conduit, said clamping member in the releasing condition thereof being spaced from said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle to accommodate removal of the container from therebetween after loading of the material into the container, whereby the material is ejected from said exit end of said conduit into the container while the space between the container and said conduit accommodates the free flow of the airstream from the container and with movement of said clamping member to the releasing position thereof accommodating removal of the filled container.
 14. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said bias means comprises a tension spring.
 15. The pneumatic packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said outer sleeve portion of said nozzle is substantially cylindrical in shape, said clamping member including a part-cylindrical clamping surface shaped complementary to said outer sleeve portion.
 16. The packaging apparatus set forth in claim 13, and further including a parallelogram type linkage coupled to said clamping member and being manually operable for effecting movement of said clamping member from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof. 